Group electronic game or poll using beverage sensors

ABSTRACT

A system includes a beverage sensor to distinguish one or more beverage states and to communicate the distinguished one or more beverage states to a processor as gameplay control inputs to the game.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to electronic games and systems forentertainment, and particularly an electronic game with an integratedbeverage sensor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to, and incorporates by reference,co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/207,124, filed Dec. 1,2018, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,799,801 on Oct. 13, 2020, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/611,689, filed Jun.1, 2017, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,188,954 on Jan. 29, 2019, whichclaims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/344,129,filed Jun. 1, 2016.

BACKGROUND

Businesses that serve drinks, such as bars and restaurants, often havevideo games available for patrons. Such video games are often monetized,if at all, by requiring a player to deposit money, e.g., coins, tokensor an account card, to enable game play.

SUMMARY

In one example, there is provided an arcade game comprising one or moreprocessors for executing an arcade game having one or more participants;a visual display screen; and a countertop control panel, the countertopcontrol panel comprising at least one game input by which a participantcan control the arcade game and at least one beverage receptacle to holda beverage container in an upright orientation; and at least onebeverage sensor to distinguish one or more beverage states and tocommunicate the distinguished one or more beverage states to the arcadegame as gameplay activation inputs to the arcade game. The one or moreprocessors can be configured to enable and disable control inputs of aplayer of the arcade game based on input from the beverage sensor. Forexample, the one or more processors can be configured to disable thecontrol inputs of the player of the arcade game when the beveragereceptacle is empty and when a beverage container received by thebeverage receptacle is empty. The arcade game can further comprise atleast one gutter to convey liquid from the beverage receptacle to areservoir.

In another example, there is provided a device comprising a beveragereceptacle adapted to hold a beverage container in an uprightorientation; a beverage sensor operatively coupled to the beveragereceptacle and adapted to distinguishably respond to states of thebeverage receptacle including empty, non-empty but containing an emptybeverage container, and non-empty and containing a non-empty beveragecontainer; and an output of the beverage sensor adapted toelectronically communicate responses of the beverage sensor to an inputof a video game controller.

In yet another example, there is provided a method comprising acceptinga non-empty beverage container into a receptacle associated with abeverage sensor to activate electronic gameplay control; as part ofelectronic gameplay, instructing a participant to consume beverage fromthe beverage container; detecting at least one beverage state with thebeverage sensor; communicating the at least one beverage state to avideo game controller; and disabling electronic gameplay control for theparticipant based on the detected beverage state indicating the absenceof a non-empty beverage container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing the core components of an examplearcade game system.

FIG. 2 is a three-quarters perspective view of the exterior of anexample arcade game machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example arcade game control stationwith sensored beverage receptacle.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the exterior of an example arcadegame machine.

FIGS. 5A-5H illustrate example game states arising as a result of sensedinputs from one or more beverage sensors and/or controlled by sensoredbeverage receptacles.

FIG. 6 is a top-view diagram of an example arcade game system showing anexample relative placement of game controls.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective illustration of an example arcade gamesystem.

FIG. 8 is a top view of an opened cabinet body of an example arcade gamesystem.

FIGS. 9A-B are different views of an example gutter system for use in anexample arcade game system.

FIG. 10 is a cutaway view of an example spilled fluid collectionreservoir with antimicrobial sponges.

FIG. 11A is a diagrammatic view of an example arcade game controlstation with sensored beverage receptacle and beverage.

FIG. 11B illustrates an example beverage receptacle with examplebeverage containers.

FIG. 12A is an exploded view of components of an example sensoredbeverage receptacle.

FIGS. 12B-E are cross-section views of example sensored beveragereceptacles.

FIGS. 13A-G are a sequence of diagrams illustrating an example method ofuse of an arcade game system having a sensored beverage receptacle.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating an example method of use of anarcade game system having a sensored beverage receptacle.

FIG. 15 is an illustration of a distributed-premises game system usingbeverage sensors as game check-ins and/or game inputs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Businesses that serve drinks and which have video games available forpatrons typically make significantly more from beverage service thanfrom the video games. One way in which such a business may enhanceprofitability is to require a player to insert into an arcade machine abeverage, rather than money, so that the player may continue playing foras long as the player has a non-empty beverage container. To this end,the present disclosure describes arcade game machines and associatedmethods that incorporate one or more beverage receptacles, each havingan associated beverage sensor, into an arcade game machine as a controlinput to a video game controller. In various examples, areceptacle/sensor can act not only as a coin or token to grant access toa game but further as a control input to control vital game functions.Consequently, the systems and methods described herein not only enhancecustomer experience by providing a fun electronic diversion, they alsoenhance business sales by encouraging beverage purchases and providingdata about customer consumption to business proprietors.

Different examples of systems described herein may comprise anintegrated beverage receptacle, beverage sensor, and video game. Morespecifically, the video game may receive a signal from the beveragesensor indicating the state of the beverage receptacle as empty ornon-empty. Additionally, examples may distinguish between non-emptystates where the beverage receptacle contains, i.e. receives, anon-empty beverage container, and an empty beverage container.Accordingly, an example may enable game play in response to a userdepositing, e.g. a bottle of beer, in a beverage in the beveragereceptacle, and it may disable game play when the beer bottle is empty.Alternatively, or additionally, examples may temporarily disable gameplay until a game controller receives a signal from a beverage sensorthat a non-empty beverage container has been removed and then replaced,suggesting that the player has taken a drink. As used herein, the term“sensored beverage receptacle” means a beverage receptacle having atleast one sensor associated therewith, which sensor may be affixed to orintegrated as part of the receptacle or may merely be matched with thereceptacle such that there is a one-to-one correspondence betweensensors and receptacles in systems having multiple of each.

As used herein, the term “player,” as in “game player,” refers to ahuman participant of a video game, while the term “character” refers toa graphical game element responsive to player inputs to a video gamecontroller. Thus a character may correspond to a player in that theplayer's input controls to a gaming console control the character, andthe character may be enabled or disabled according to methods describedherein. In one example, a character may be disabled when thecorresponding beverage receptacle is empty or when the beveragereceptacle contains an empty beverage container. Accordingly, in orderfor a player to play the game, the player must acquire a non-emptybeverage container. Some examples may additionally enable and disable acharacter in response to events occurring the game, e.g., completion ornon-completion of a game objective or other required task. Furthermore,such examples may require the player to remove and replace a non-emptybeverage container belonging to the player in order to re-enable acharacter corresponding to the player, or otherwise to proceed with agame.

The term “video game controller,” as used herein, may include a varietyof different devices. In general, a video game controller is any devicethat enables, disables, or effects game play. For example, a video gamemay be enabled when a state of one component of the controller causesanother component(s) to accept user input and communicate the input to acomputer to effect game play, e.g. by moving graphical game pieces.Conversely, a video game may be disabled when a state of one componentof the controller causes another component(s) to reject user input orotherwise not communicate it. Notwithstanding the foregoing description,while components for enabling and disabling a video game may in somesense be said to be part of, or a component of, a video game controller,the present disclosure distinguishes between a video game controller andthe components that produce signals for enabling and disabling gameplay. Accordingly, the beverage receptacle and beverage sensor areconsidered herein to be distinct from the video game controller.

The beverage receptacle may use weight, pressure, switch, strain gauge,proximity, Hall effect, barcode, temperature, sonar or optical sensorsto determine the brand, value or source of an inserted beverage. Thesesensors can be installed directly on or close to the beverage receptacleto make their respective measurements or determinations.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing the core components of an examplearcade game system 100. System 100 can include a beverage receptaclehaving associated therewith an associated beverage sensor 102. Beveragesensor 102 can detect and report, via at least one output, the presenceof a non-empty beverage container. In some examples, beverage sensor 102can further discriminate between various levels of beverage containerfullness or emptiness (i.e., levels of consumption of the beverage)and/or can detect or measure various other beverage properties, such asbeverage type (e.g., water vs. soft drink vs. alcoholic beverage),container type (e.g., glass vs. bottle vs. can), beverage origin (e.g.,purchased on the premises vs. brought from outside the premises),beverage price or value, or beverage age since serving (e.g., bymeasuring temperature or level of carbonation evanescence). The variousbeverage properties may be measured or detected with an appropriatesensor or detector or may be inferred based on measurements of relatedproperties.

System 100 can further include at least one processor or CPU 104 thatacts as a video game controller to accept control inputs, including fromsensor 102 and controls 106, and produce outputs, e.g., game graphics,sound effects, and music, to at least one visual or audiovisual display108, such as a color display monitor.

FIG. 2 is a three-quarters perspective view of the exterior of anexample arcade game machine 200 with a number of integrated sensoredbeverage receptacles 220, while FIG. 4 provides a front perspective viewof machine 200. In the illustrated example, machine 200 has six suchreceptacles 220. Arcade machine 200 has a cabinet having a base orhousing body 204, topped by a control panel 208, a bezel 206, and amarquee 212. Bezel 214 can secure and aesthetically frame displaymonitor 214. In some examples, marquee 212 can house a static sign,which in some examples can be backlit, to indicate, e.g., the name ofthe game offered by machine 200 and its maker or origin. In otherexamples, marquee 212 can house a dynamic display, e.g., a color displayscreen, that can display different names of different games depending,e.g., on a selectable or rotating set of offerings. The cabinet can bepowered, for example, via a standard A/C wall plug (not shown).

Control panel 208 can include a number of controllers that can provideinputs to the video game, e.g., joysticks, buttons, trackballs,keyboards, microphones, guns, steering wheels, throttle levers, pilotyokes, etc. In some examples the system 200 may also provide one or morepedals as controls. Control panel 208 can also include a number ofsensored beverage receptacles 220. In some examples, control panel 208is substantially level so that beverages may be placed on it withoutsliding off. In the illustrated example, control panel 208 is connectedto housing 204 by hinge 222 at its back edge so that it can be lifted toexpose the underside of controls and beverage sensors for maintenanceand diagnostic purposes. A locking mechanism 210 (e.g., a key lock) cansecure panel 208 limiting underside access to restricted personnel.

Control panel 208 can be visually divided into individual playerstations 216 by, for example, station dividing lines 218 and/or arrows(not shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , but see 606 in FIG. 6 ) pointing outwardto the intended positions of the various players. The stations can becolor-coded and/or be given any type of distinctive design to reduce theconfusion between players of their respective controls and beverages.FIG. 3 shows an example station 216 having a beverage receptacle 220,button 308, and a joystick made of knob 302, stem 304, and cover plate306. In addition to any controls associated with any one station,machine 200 may also incorporate common controls, e.g., a start button224.

FIGS. 5A-5H illustrate various game states that may arise as a result ofsensed inputs from the one or more beverage sensors and/or be controlledby the sensored beverage receptacles 220 embedded in control panel 208.Initial state 500 in FIG. 5A shows screen 214 displaying a directive to“insert drinks” and may be accompanied, for example, by a demonstrativeanimation. As shown by first player activation state 510 in FIG. 5B, anon-empty beer bottle 502 inserted into receptacle 220, and therebysensed by the game via a beverage sensor, activates the game for thecorresponding player, as indicated on screen 214 by a change tocorresponding character 504, which can include a change in brightness,contrast, intensity, or color of character 504, and/or an animationchange in character 504 or a sound effect cue that may appear to emanatefrom character 504. Following the “check-in” of this player, after acertain time or in response to an input, the game may begin, or in someexamples, the game may wait for additional players to join the gamebefore beginning gameplay. Full game state 520 in FIG. 5C shows that allplayers that can be accommodated by game (i.e., in the illustratedexample, all six players) have joined by insertion of non-empty beveragecontainers, causing all on-screen characters to become illuminated orotherwise indicated as active, and causing screen 214 to issue a newdirective to press start button 224 to begin the game.

Gameplay can involve any number of arcade-style games of various genres,e.g., racing, puzzle, platform, side-scroller, shoot-'em-up, etc. Gamescan be cooperative between players, or competitive, or both, as whenplayers are divided into teams. As an example, players can controlon-screen characters that can, for example, match in color, pattern, orin some other way to a designation provided by the design of respectivestations on control panel 208. For example, joystick 302 can be used tonavigate characters and one or more buttons 308 can be used to causecharacters to jump, shoot projectiles, or perform other actions.Gameplay state 530 shown in FIG. 5D illustrates one example game onscreen 214, a team volleyball game, in which characters 536 aremanipulated to prevent a ball 538 from falling on a home side of a net540 and to cause it to fall on opponents' side. At the instantillustrated, ball 538 is falling onto the right side of the court,causing the players associated with the right-side characters to losethe game. As shown by game completion state 540 in FIG. 5E, screen 214prompts the losing players to “drink.” Compliant player state 550 inFIG. 5F shows that one player has removed beer bottle 506 from itsreceptacle in that player's station, causing the game to remove thecorresponding prompt character from screen 214.

The game can be programmed to sense that a sip has been taken (e.g.,that the liquid in the beverage container 506 is reduced in weight,level, etc.), and to persist in requiring a player to drink until suchbeverage amount reduction is sensed. Alternatively, in some examples,the game may be programmed to consider that mere removal and replacementof container 506 suffices to qualify as the required “drink” instructedby the game. In any case, once all “loser” players have complied, thegame may resume or a new, possibly different game may begin.

FIG. 5G illustrates the start of a new game state 560, anothercooperative/competitive game. As shown, the game can be programmed todisregard temporary removal of one or more beverages from thereceptacles to allow players to drink between games or mid-game withoutpenalty. However, as shown by no-player state 570 in FIG. 5H, the gamemay also be programmed to pause, and eventually to terminate (e.g.,after a countdown), a game when it appears that all players have run outof beverage or abandoned the game by virtue of insufficient beveragebeing sensed in a threshold number of beverage receptacles. Theillustrated example shows all beverages having been removed from theirreceptacles, but for some games that require multiple players, the gamemay be programmed to pause and/or terminate when an insufficient numberof players are active, or have been inactive for long enough time. Forexample, the game may be programmed such that removal of a beverage froma receptacle for 10 seconds without returning a non-empty beveragecontainer to the receptacle triggers deactivation of player control forthat player, while absence of a non-empty beverage container from thereceptacle for one minute triggers a “check-out” of the player, and anabsence of a quorum of active players for 30 seconds terminates thegame.

FIG. 6 is a top-view diagram of arcade game system 200 showing anexample relative placement of game controls 302, 308 and beveragereceptacles 220 in control panel 208. Arrows 606 on the control panel208 point to recommended player placement around the machine 200 andhelp associate each player with his or her controls 302, 308. From thisview, receptacle drain holes 602 (as illustrated, three per receptacle)and receptacle attachment points 604 (as illustrated, two perreceptacle, spaced closely together) at the bottoms of each receptacle202 are visible. The drain holes 602 permit spilled liquid to drain fromreceptacles 220, while the attachment points 604 permit the receptaclesto be mounted other than by a lip or rim of a receptacle restingdirectly against panel 208, which attachment could prevent or distort ameasurement by an associated beverage sensor.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective illustration of arcade game system 200during maintenance. Locking mechanism 210 can be unlocked to permit theraise of the control panel 208 on its hinge. A hanging connector 208(e.g., chain, wire, or string) affixed at one end to the front of theunderside of the panel 208 can be attached to an attachment point 704(e.g., hook, eyelet, or screw head) at the top of the cabinet to securepanel 208 in an open position. Game controls (e.g., joysticks andbuttons) can be based on pressure switches of the type commonly found inarcade controls, which provide the benefits of simplicity, reliabilityand ruggedness. For example, pressure switches can survive even fullliquid immersion. As illustrated, joystick underside 706 can provideaccess to the four pressure switches belonging to each joystick, whilecontrol button undersides 710 and start button underside 712 can provideaccess to the single pressure switch each button.

Although the arrangement of components on the underside of panel 208 isillustrated in FIG. 7 , the connections between them are omitted forclarity. Each of the control elements 706, 708, 710, 712 can beconnected (e.g., by conductive wires) to one of one or more controllerson printed circuit boards (PCBs) 714 that can accept analog signalinputs and can provide, e.g., digital signal outputs to processor 716via, e.g., a USB connection. Signal conditioning circuitry (e.g.,filters and/or amplifiers) (not shown) can be placed in the signal pathsbetween the control elements 706, 708, 710, 712 and the PCBs 714 towhich they are respectively connected to provide cleaner orlarger-amplitude signals to the PCBs 714 prior to digitization. As anexample, a SparkFun Load Cell Amplifier can serve as an intermediarybetween a load cell 1204 of beverage sensor 708 and the PCB 714 to whichit is connected.

Processor 716 can include a microprocessor to process game inputs andrun game functions. Processor 716 can be, for example, a Mini-ITX PC,such as a Mac Mini manufactured by Apple Inc., which has a form factorof only 7.7 inches square by 1.4 inches tall, and provides the requisiteUSB inputs and HDMI audiovisual outputs. Processor 716 can store gamedata and programming, including graphics, sounds effects, music, leveldesigns, and game logic, in one or more non-transitory memories and canthus control a game given inputs from game controls and provide suitableoutputs to a visual or audiovisual display via, e.g., an HDMI connector.Processor 716 can also provide operational electric power (e.g., at 5volts) to PCBs 714 via, e.g., the USB connection between them.

In some examples, the two PCBs 714 can include a first PCB thatcommunicates inputs from the buttons 710 and joysticks 706 to processor716 and a second PCB that communicates inputs from players' beveragesensors 708 to processor 716. As examples, the PCB that handles button,joystick, or other control device inputs can be an Ultimarc I-PAC, whilethe PCB that handles beverage sensor inputs can be an Arduino Uno or aSparkfun Redboard. Each PCB 714 can be housed in a polymer cover or boxto protect the electronic components from liquids that may spill overthe arcade's control panel 208.

FIG. 7 shows that system 200 can also have a gutter system 900 thatincludes, in the illustrated example, two gutters 718 arrangedunderneath the rows of beverage receptacles 220/708. Each gutter 718 canflow into a containment reservoir 720 which can be sized large enough(e.g., to hold one or several gallons) such that it can hold a largevolume of beverage fluid that may be spilled into receptacles 220, whichfluid drains through holes 602 into gutters 718 and finally intoreservoir 720. In some examples, reservoir 720 itself may be providedwith a hose or pipe (not shown) to drain out of system 220 into, e.g., afloor drain (not shown) or sewer line connection (not shown). In otherexamples, however, such additional drainage may not be convenient, andthus, reservoir 720 can be sized large enough to all fluid that may bespilled in the course of an activity period until it can evaporate. FIG.8 provides an overhead view of gutters 718 and reservoir 720 withincabinet body 204. FIGS. 9A and 9B provide, respectively, a frontperspective view and a side perspective view of the example guttersystem 900. Alternatively or in addition to the illustrated gutters,hoses or pipes (not shown) can direct liquid from receptacles 220 toreservoir 720 or to an external drain.

As shown in the cutaway view of reservoir 720 in FIG. 10 , reservoir 720for collecting leaked fluid can be outfitted with one or more sponges1002, which can be antimicrobial sponges capable of arresting the growthof odor-causing bacteria as may be produced, for example, by thedecomposition of hops in spilled beer. Sponges 1002 can thus absorbspilled fluid and prevent the development of bad odors until such timeas spilled fluid has evaporated and the sponges 1002 again become dry.As shown, sponges 1002 can be arranged as a stack. The outer surface ofarcade machine 200, and particularly its control panel 208, can becoated in a water resistant paint or shell, e.g., a vinyl wrap, whichcan be printed with an industrial inkjet printer, cut to shape, andadhered to the arcade machine 200 with a spray adhesive. On the insideof the cabinet 204, where any wood may be exposed, the cabinet 204 maybe coated with latex or a latex-based coating to prevent the wood fromsoaking by spilled beverage. The aforementioned PCB covers, gutters 718and paint/coatings/covers together render the arcade 200 highlyresistant to the effects of spilled liquid.

Also shown in FIG. 8 is a battery or uninterruptible power supply (UPS)802 capable of powering the components of arcade system 200, includingprocessor 716 and AV display 214. UPS 802 can also be communicativelyconnected to processor 716 to provide information regarding powerstatus. Upon loss of external electrical power, as may result from apremises proprietor switching off the premises power, UPS 802 can signalprocessor 716 to begin a shutdown phase, which can include providing amessage on display 214 signaling to players that any game in progresswill soon terminate. After a game termination countdown, for example,processor 716 can safely enter and complete its shutdown sequence priorto the depletion of UPS power. When power is returned, battery 802 sendsmessages to display 214 and processor 716 that can power-up thesedevices and start up the arcade system 200.

FIG. 9B additionally illustrates how beverage receptacles 220 can bemounted to the underside of panel 208 via mounting brackets, such thatthey are held up from underneath rather than resting down from above.The holes in panel into which receptacles 220 fit can be made to be atolerance diameter larger than the outer diameter of the receptaclecups, such that the receptacles do not rest vertically down upon or leanlaterally up against panel 208, as any such contact may distortmeasurements made by associated beverage sensors that collect force(e.g., weight) readings to ascertain beverage presence and/or beveragelevel.

With reference to FIG. 11A, each station 216 may include a variety ofgame controls (e.g., joystick 302, 304, 306 and/or one or more buttons308) and may also include at least one sensored beverage receptacle 220capable of holding a beverage container (e.g., soda can 1102). Withreference to FIG. 11B, beverage receptacle 220 may comprise an ordinarycup holder 254. Beverage receptacle 220 may be so dimensioned as topermit a player to deposit a variety of typical beverages intoreceptacle 220 such as, without limitation, a beer bottle 1106, a waterbottle (not shown), a soda bottle (not shown), a soda can (1102), and/ora drinking glass 1104 such as beer or water glass.

Each beverage receptacle has associated with it one or more beveragesensors. Beverage sensors may comprise a variety of sensors, includingload cells and optical cells. Suitable load cells may be selected from,for example, strain gauges such as shear beam strain gauges, S-beamstrain gauges, compression load cells, and piezoelectric load cells. Awide variety of load cells, many not explicitly enumerated here, couldbe used as beverage sensors.

FIG. 12A shows an exploded view of components of an example sensoredbeverage receptacle 1200. The illustrated sensored beverage receptacle1200 includes, in addition to cup receptacle 220, a bar load cell 1204that uses strain gauges to detect beverage weight. Receptacle 220 can beattached to one end of bar load cell 1204 using, for example, threadedbolts 1206, washers 1208 and nuts 1210. The bolts 1206 can be fittedthrough receptacle attachment points 604, which are labeled, but notvisible, in FIG. 12A, on the underside of receptacle cup 254. In someexamples, the components can be adhered together using an epoxy or otheradhesive, obviating the need for holes drilled through receptacle cup254, as well as for bolts 1206 and nuts 1210. Washers can adjustmounting space and also serve as a buffer to protect bar load cell 1204,which can be fragile. Mounting bracket 1212 can be bolted or adhered byits bottom to an opposite end of bar load cell 1204, while the top ofmounting bracket 1212 can be bolted or adhered to the underside ofcontrol panel 208 (not shown in FIG. 12A, but see FIG. 9B). In thismanner, receptacle 220 can be prevented from directly contacting panel208, and thus receptacle 220, and by extension any beverage placedtherein, can be mechanically isolated from the rest of arcade gamesystem 200 except through load cell 1204.

Bar load cell 1204 can have four strain gauges connected in a Wheatstonebridge formation. The strain gauges can be bonded to the load cell 1204,positioned, for example, at the middle top and bottom of the load cell1204, i.e., at position 1216 and the corresponding underside of loadcell 1204, such that two strain gauges are in compression at the sametime two are in tension when load cell deforms around shaped hole 1214due to the weight of a beverage. Bar load cell 1204 is laid out in a “Z”formation so that when torque is applied to the bar, the four straingauges on the cell measure the bending distortion. Two of the gaugesmeasure compression and the other two measure tension caused by aplayer's drink (bottle, glass, can, etc.) being placed inside cup holder254.

A millivolt-scale output voltage signal produced in response to theapplied force can be amplified and/or otherwise conditioned, modulated,inverted, or converted from analog to digital prior to being provided toa video game controller. In one example, the load cell signal producedby bar load cell 1204 is provided to an amplifier (not shown) and thento a PCB 714 for digitization prior to being fed to processor 716. Smallchanges in resistance measured from the strain gauges act as an inputdevice for each player to system 200. System 200 therefore permitsplayers to use their drinks to enter a game, provide feedback to thegame, affect gameplay, and exit the game. At any time during a game,players' drinks might be measured, therefore the scale formed by sensor1200 can constantly act as an input in the game in the same manner as abutton or joystick. In addition to being used during gameplay, theincorporation of drink sensors into an arcade eliminates the need formore traditional payment methods like coins, bills, payment cards,stored-value cards or reprogrammable magnetic stripe cards.

Measurements using strain gauges may be improved by stiffening the base,or bottom, of the beverage receptacle 220. Accordingly, sensoredbeverage receptacle 1200 can include a rigid base plate 1202 made from asuitably stiff material such as aluminum or steel. Inclusion of baseplate 1202 may be especially advantageous when the beverage receptacle220 is fabricated from pliable materials such as some thin polyolefinplastics. In such examples, a base plate 1202 is affixed to the beveragereceptacle 220. In other examples (not illustrated), the base of thebeverage receptacle 220 is sufficiently stiff for making measurementswith strain gauges without modification. According to such examples, thebase plate is regarded to be unitary with the beverage receptacle 220and forms its base. Accordingly, all examples that include strain gaugesalso include base plates regardless of whether the base plate is affixedto or unitary with the beverage receptacle 220, regardless of thematerial from which the base plate is constructed, and regardless ofwhether it is constructed from the same or different material as thebeverage receptacle 220.

As illustrated in FIGS. 12B-12E, a variety of other beverage sensors maybe used in addition to or as an alternative to the load cell arrangementillustrated in FIG. 12A and described above. In the beverage sensor 1250of cross-section FIG. 12B, a sensor comprising a plurality of verticallyoffset optical beam break cells is integrated into receptacle 220. Moregenerally, a beverage sensor can include any number of optical cellseach having an emitter 1252 and a receiver 1254. Suitable optical cellsmay situate the emitter and receiver either side-by-side, thus sensingreflection (reflection mode), or, as shown in FIG. 12B, at 180°(transmission mode). In either configuration, the cell can be adapted tosense an occupied state when an optical beam is broken or attenuatedabove a threshold, which can be a predetermined or an adaptivelydetermined threshold and an unoccupied (empty) state when the beam isunbroken or not attenuated above the threshold. When the optical cellsare arranged, as shown, as a plurality of vertically offset optical beambreak cells, the combination of output signals is able to determine alevel 1256 of beverage, to within the resolution provided by the numberof cells, greater resolution being achievable by increasing the numberof cells and adjusting their offsets accordingly.

Suitable optical cells may operate in the visible spectrum, or insteadmay operate in the near infrared spectrum. The output signal of anoptical cell may require amplification and/or conditioning. Similar tothe case with load cells, while it may be said herein that a controllerreceives a signal from a beverage sensor, the signal may not necessarilybe received by processor 716 directly but rather may be communicated tothe controller 716 after being amplified and possibly otherwiseconditioned, modulated, inverted, or converted from analog to digital.

The cross-section of FIG. 12B shows a beverage sensor 1260 comprising acombined emitter/receiver optical cell 1262 integrated at the bottom ofreceptacle 220, to operate in reflection mode and thereby to detect alevel 1256 of a beverage inserted into receptacle 220. Beverage sensors1250, 1262 function better with beverage containers that are moretransparent and may not function at all with opaque or reflectivecontainers such as metal cans. Those business establishments that servebeverages only in clear glass containers may benefit most from thesensors 1250 and 1260 illustrated in FIGS. 12B and 12C.

The cross-section of FIG. 12D illustrates a beverage sensor 1270 inwhich an acoustic emitter/receiver pair is mounted and positioned abovecorresponding receptacle 220 so as to detect beverage level 1256 usingecho ranging through which emitted acoustic signals are reflected fromthe surface of the liquid beverage. Sensor 1270 may be more effectivewith wider-mouth glasses and less effective with cans and bottles.However, some example systems may provide a side-loaded beveragereceptacle which may have the advantage of enhanced precisionpositioning of downward-facing sensor emitters vis-à-vis beveragecontainer openings, permitting sensor 1270 to function well with varioustypes of beverage containers. Instead of or in addition to an ultrasonicsensor, sensor 1272 may be, in some examples, a temperature sensor(e.g., an infrared temperature sensor) to sense the temperature of abeverage so as to accept only beverages within certain temperatureranges and thereby reject beverages that are, for example, approximatelyroom temperature, which have presumptively been brought in from outsidethe business premises rather than sold or otherwise provided by thebusiness. In some examples, an optical beam sensor as illustrated inFIG. 12C may also be placed above the beverage as shown in FIG. 12D todetect beverage level 1256.

The cross-section of FIG. 12E shows beverage sensor 1280 in which avibration sensor 1282 is integrated into receptacle 220 to estimatebeverage level through the measurement of vibrational energy. Avibrational force is provided to receptacle and beverage 220 and avibrational response is measured, e.g., by a MEMS accelerometer insensor 1282. The vibrational force can be provided by a vibratorintegrated into unit 1282 or by a separate vibrator. Based on thedamping of the response with respect to the force applied, an estimateof mass, and therefore of beverage amount, can be output by sensor 1280.

Although not illustrated, acoustic sensing modalities may also be usedfor detecting the presence or absence of a container, and the liquidlevel of the container, based upon the container's properties as aHelmholtz resonator. Also not illustrated, the beverage sensor canincorporate an optical scanner or barcode reader to determine the brand,type, origin, or price of a receptacle-inserted beverage by, forexample, scanning a barcode or viewing a container label, and comparingthe received input to a database.

Examples may combine load cells and other beverage sensing modalitiessuch as optical cells or scanners into a single beverage sensor unit,for instance, to compensate for shortcomings in one or more of themodalities. For example, combined-sensor units may be used toredundantly detect the presence or absence of non-empty beveragecontainer, thereby providing further assurance of accuracy. A load cellcan be especially appropriate for determining that a suitable containeris present, while an optical cell can be especially suitable fordetermining the liquid level of the container.

In some examples, the beverage sensor may be as simple as a switch.However, a the binary output of a switch (weight/no weight) cannotreadily be used to measure beverage levels, to distinguish an emptybeverage container from a non-empty beverage container, or todistinguish a beverage container from a non-beverage container (e.g., amobile phone). As such, a switch is not useful to prevent a player from“cheating” by attempting to check-in to a game without having purchaseda beverage.

Processor 716 can validate (i.e., judge the legitimacy of) a beveragecontainer and make estimates of the emptiness or non-emptiness of avalid container based on inputs from the one or more beverage sensors,e.g., weight inputs delivered from bar sensors 1204, and by comparingreceived weight inputs against predetermined thresholds or weight rangesstored in memory of processor 716. For example, a full 20-oz. beer glassof the size typically used for service of draft beverages at bars weighsapproximately 800 grams, whereas a full beer bottle (where the bottle ismade of glass) weighs approximately 575 grams. Thus, any full beverageinserted into a receptacle 220 of the arcade 200 that is determined toweigh more than approximately 600 grams but less than approximately 800grams can be deemed to be a beverage served in a glass. Likewise, whensystem 200 is programmed to understand that no valid drink will be morethan about 800 grams in weight, 800 grams can serve as an upper-limitthreshold, and any higher weight sensed by a beverage sensor will failto register as a check-in to play a game.

Full beverage cans and plastic bottles in various sizes can weigh muchless than full glasses or glass bottles, but even so can have fairlyuniform weights, both when full and when empty. Going under thepresumption that a deposited beverage will be a fresh one from which asignificant amount of liquid has not already been consumed (e.g., notmore than a sip or two), the system 200 may determine that the weight ofa deposited beverage falls within one of a variety of predefined rangescorresponding to a variety of anticipated container types and may thusclassify the deposited beverage as being, e.g., full 12-oz. soda can ora full 20-oz. plastic soda bottle, and thereby permit check-in, or,conversely, as being, e.g., an empty 12-oz. soda can or an empty 20-oz.plastic soda bottle, and thereby deny check-in or continued play.

As another example, given than an empty beer bottle is approximately 225grams, if a beverage sensor reports a weight of 225 grams, processor 716may determine that the deposited object is most likely an empty bottleor a foreign object and thereby system 200 may decline to “check-in” theplayer or let the player continue to play. Under any refusal conditionas determined by processor 716, a warning may be delivered to a playervia AV screen 214 alerting the player of the need to purchase a newdrink if the player desires to join or continue gameplay.

The programming for arcade system 200 can be customized for therestaurant or bar establishment in which the system 200 is installed.For example, some bars do not serve beverages in cans at all, whileothers serve beverages only in glasses and do not serve bottles. In suchinstances, the system 200 can be informed with such information bysetting customization settings, allowing system 200 to make moreaccurate or more certain estimates of beverage levels or determinationsof beverage legitimacy, e.g., by eliminating a variety of possibilitiesfrom among the various pre-programmed identifier ranges as discussedabove. System 200 can similarly be programmed, again via customizationparameter settings, to know the weight or weight range of a standardglass or set of glasses if the establishment serves all its beverages inonly one or a few standardized glasses.

Processor 716 can be connected to the Internet or other computer networkwired (e.g., through Ethernet) or wirelessly (e.g., over a WiFiconnection or cellular modem connected by USB to the processor 716) andcan thereby report collected usage data, e.g., to a central server, bye-mail, FTP, SCP, HTTP, or another protocol. Such usage data can beanalyzed by business proprietors, in some instances after being mergedwith or mapped to sales receipt data, to understand customer preferencesand behavior and thereby to inform business decisions, such as whatbrands of beverages to stock, when to sell certain beverages atdiscount, what operating hours to keep, and whether to installadditional arcade machines of the type described herein.

In summary, this disclosure provides a device comprising a beveragereceptacle adapted to hold a beverage container in an uprightorientation; a beverage sensor operatively coupled to the beveragereceptacle and adapted to distinguishably respond to states of thebeverage receptacle including empty, non-empty but containing an emptybeverage container, and non-empty and containing a non-empty beveragecontainer; and an output of the beverage sensor adapted toelectronically communicate responses of the beverage sensor to an inputof a video game controller. The device can further comprise a rigid baseplate disposed at a bottom of the beverage receptacle. The beveragesensor can comprise a load cell operatively affixed to the base plateand adapted to sense vertically applied forces incident upon thebeverage receptacle.

The base plate can be unitary with the beverage receptacle, or the baseplate can be a separate structure affixed to the bottom of the beveragereceptacle. The load cell can, for example, be selected from one or moreof a shear beam strain gauge, an S-beam strain gauge, a compression loadcell, or a piezoelectric load cell. The video game controller can beadapted to enable and disable a character of the video game in responseto input from the beverage sensor. The video game controller can beadapted to disable the character of the video game when the beveragereceptacle is empty and/or when a beverage container received by thebeverage receptacle is empty. As an example, the video game controllercan be adapted to disable the character of the video game when thebeverage receptacle receives between 8 ounces and 0 ounces of verticallyapplied force.

Additionally or alternatively to the beverage sensor comprising a loadcell, the beverage sensor can comprise an optical beam break cell or aplurality of vertically offset optical beam break cells. Additionally oralternatively, the beverage sensor can comprise a Helmholtz resonatorvolume sensing device.

The video game controller can be adapted to temporarily disable thecharacter of the video game while the video game controller is receivinga signal from the beverage sensor indicating that the beveragereceptacle is receiving a non-empty beverage container. The charactercan remain disabled until the video game controller receives a firstsignal from the beverage sensor indicating that the beverage receptacleis empty, followed by a second signal from the beverage sensorindicating that the beverage receptacle is receiving a non-emptybeverage container.

The video game controller can be adapted to disable the character of thevideo game when the beverage sensor indicates that no beverage containeris present in the beverage receptacle, or when the beverage sensorindicates that an empty beverage container is present in the beveragereceptacle. The video game controller can be adapted to enable thecharacter of the video game when the beverage sensor indicates that anon-empty beverage container is present in the beverage receptacle. Thevideo game controller can be adapted to temporarily disable thecharacter of the video game while the video game controller is receivinga signal from the beverage sensor indicating that the beveragereceptacle is receiving a non-empty beverage container.

The video game controller can be further adapted maintain the characterin a disabled state until the video game controller receives a firstsignal from the beverage sensor indicating that the beverage receptacleis empty, followed by a second signal from the beverage sensorindicating that the beverage receptacle is receiving a non-emptybeverage container.

FIGS. 13A-G illustrate, using a sequence of diagrams, an example methodof use of a system such as arcade 200 including various promptsdelivered to user by the system via display 214 at various times andvarious player actions responsive to those prompts or vice-versa. FIG.13A shows the check-in process whereby processor 716 generates a promptsent to display 214 over AV link 1306 (e.g., HDMI cable) and a playercan thereby be prompted to insert a drink. Responsive to the prompt, theplayer can insert a drink, e.g., soda can 1102, into beverage receptacle220 having an associated beverage sensor, e.g., bar load cell 1204. Asignal from the sensor corresponding to a beverage property, e.g., ameasured weight, can be transmitted to processor 716, e.g., through theintermediary of PCB 714 over analog transmission wires 1302 and USBconnection 1304.

FIG. 13B is representative of the fact that the deposit of a non-emptybottle 1106, can 1102, or cup 1104 into sensored beverage receptacle canserve as an entry to the game by enabling control of a character 536, insimilar fashion to the way that the deposit of a coin (e.g., quarter) ortoken activates gameplay in a traditional arcade machine.

Now checked-in through the deposit of valid beverage container, FIG. 13Cillustrates that the player can manipulate the character 536 using othercontrol inputs, such as joystick 302/304/306 and button 308. Joystick302/304/306 may be connected to PCB 714 via, e.g., four analogconnections 1308 (one of each of four pressure switches associated withjoystick 302/304/306) while button 308 (having only one pressure switchassociated therewith) may be connected to PCB 714 via only a singleanalog connection 1310. As before, PCB may digitize inputs and delivercontrol signals to processor 716 via connection 1304, e.g., a USBconnection. As an example of character control, moving joystick302/304/306 left and right can move character 536 left and right,respectively, on screen 214. The game begins in FIG. 13D (“Level 1”),during which the container 1102 used to check in can be required toremain, at least for a substantial portion of the gameplay time, inreceptacle 220. For example, a removal of a beverage container for apredetermined timeout limit (e.g., 10 straight seconds) may beindicative that the player has left the game and may deactivate theplayer's movement. As another example, removal of the beverage for apredetermined fraction of gameplay time (e.g., more than 10% of elapsedgameplay time) may similarly trigger a deactivation, which deactivationmay be permanent for the duration of the game, level, or round, or maybe only temporary until the beverage container or a fresh beverage hasbeen replaced into sensored receptacle 220. During gameplay, the playercan move corresponding character 536 around on screen 214 to competeuntil the player is prompted to take a sip, as shown in FIG. 13E.

As shown in FIG. 13F, upon such a prompt, the player can be required toat least remove and replace container 1102 from receptacle 220, and, insome examples, may be required to reduce the weight of the container byan amount falling within a predetermined range corresponding to, e.g., asingle sip (e.g., between 5 and 20 grams, the average sip size beingapproximately 12 grams). Having completed the required sip (or motion ofa sip if an actual sip is not required), the game can resume, as shownin FIG. 13G (beginning “Level 2”).

In accordance with the above, a method 1400 of gameplay using a videogame machine with an integrated beverage sensor is illustrated in FIG.14 . The method can begin with a check-in process by accepting anon-empty beverage container into a receptacle associated with abeverage sensor to activate 1402 electronic gameplay control. Thebeverage can be validated through one or more sensed or measuredbeverage parameters, such as weight, level, barcode, or temperaturebased on beverage sensor input, to prevent invalid check-in. The methodcan continue with instructing 1404 a participant to consume beverage aspart of gameplay, e.g., upon losing a game or level. One or morebeverage states (e.g., beverage weight, beverage temperature, beveragevolume, beverage level) can be detected 1406 with a beverage sensor, andthe detected beverage state(s) can be communicated 1408 to a video gamecontroller (e.g., processor 716). Electronic gameplay control can bedisabled 1410 based on detected beverage state indicating absence ofvalid beverage, and in some examples can be re-enabled based on detectedbeverage state indicating presence of a valid beverage again.

In some examples, player controls are not used to control an onscreencharacter, but instead are used to play an arcade game in some otherfashion (e.g., first-person-perspective racing games and shooting games)or to provide other competitive inputs (e.g., selecting among multiplechoice quiz or estimation questions). In such examples, however, theoperation of the game and the methods described above need not beotherwise different than as described above.

In addition to obviating the need for coins and tokens to activategameplay, the systems and methods described herein may also obviate theneed for scorekeeping within a game as a means of incentivizingcompetitive gameplay. This is because the “shame of losing game”—i.e.,of drinking upon a loss—may eliminate the need for a high score inincentivizing or motivating players. Thus, in some examples, no score iskept throughout the game, as a traditional tally of points or otherwise.In other examples, even if no traditional point tally is kept,statistics as to the number of times each player was caused to take asip, and/or the amount of beverage consumed by the various players overthe course of gameplay or other statistics, may be compiled and reportedat the end of gameplay or periodically throughout gameplay (e.g., at theend of various levels or rounds and/or as a persistent on-screendisplay). In some instances, players can be called upon to registerguesses (through game inputs) as to who among them had to drink themost, or who most recently took the biggest gulp, for example. In someexamples, the more that a player has consumed over the course of a game,the more that player is rewarded, e.g., with ability upgrades tocharacters, which may compensate for reduced gameplay performance thatmay be owed to the physiological effects of consuming alcohol.

Some example systems, such as system 1500 illustrated in FIG. 15 , canoperate without a single arcade cabinet but instead can use beveragesensors 1502 of the types described herein mounted to tabletops 1504,counters 1506, bars 1508, and/or shelves in a distributed fashionthroughout the premises of a business establishment. The sensors can bewired or wirelessly connected to a central processor, which can be amobile computing device, such as tablet computer 1510, or can togetherform a distributed network of processors, in either case capable ofsupplying inputs to games that would not necessarily involve an arcademachine. For example, a business establishment such as a bar can usesystem 1500 to administer a bar trivia game (a “pub quiz”) consisting ofvarious rounds wherein participants can be required to purchase, andcheck-in using the above-described methods, a non-empty beverage 1516 tojoin the game, and/or non-winning participants are called upon to takesips of their respective drinks at various points throughout the game.

In some distributed system examples, beverage sensors can include or beconnected to a miniaturized computer system (e.g., a Raspberry Pi orASUS Tinker) to process beverage measurements and transmit measurementsor analyzed data derived therefrom. The miniaturized computer system maytransmit the measurements or data over a wireless protocol such asBluetooth or WiFi.

Participants' personal mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones 1512or tablets 1514) can be used to provide electronic player inputs to sucha game, and in some examples, the participant personal mobile computingdevices 1512, 1514 can be required to be paired with participants'respective beverage sensors 1502 so as to match players' responses orother gameplay inputs entered through, e.g., a mobile app or a web appto each player's corresponding beverage state as measured by players'respective beverage sensors 1502. Participant mobile devices 1512, 1514can be paired to beverage sensors 1502 by the mobile devices' sensing aproximity signal emitted by the beverage sensors 1502, by the mobiledevices 1512, 1514 using a camera or other imaging sensor to visuallysense a distinctive marker (e.g., a barcode or a QR code) on orassociated with the beverage sensor, or by the participants' manuallyinputting a station ID into a mobile app or web app. In some examples,players' responses or game inputs may be delivered verbally or by paperor other methods and entered via a computing device 1510 used by a gamehost or scorekeeper.

With a similar setup, the beverage sensors described herein can furtherbe used as voting mechanisms for communal participatory activities,e.g., to select the winner of an in-establishment competition (e.g.,karaoke contest, poetry slam, dance competition) or to gauge support inthe establishment for one sporting team or another during a sport match.The voting can be based on number of sips taken in a defined time periodor on total volume (or weight) of beverage consumed. Additionally oralternatively, participants' personal mobile devices, linked to theirrespective beverage sensors, can execute arcade games or other types ofgames for individual play by participants, wherein the gameplay orresults can be linked between participants in a business establishment,permitting for a distributed version of the arcade system 200 withoutrequiring a cabinet or large AV monitor.

Accordingly, the present disclosure describes a system comprising a gameserver to transmit game content to, and receive game information from, aplurality of wireless mobile devices; a plurality of beveragereceptacles each adapted to hold a beverage container in an uprightorientation; and a plurality of beverage sensors each associated withone of the beverage receptacles, each of the beverage sensors todistinguish beverage states and to electronically communicatedistinguished beverage states to the game server; wherein game contenttransmitted by the game server to a target wireless mobile device isbased on a beverage state distinguished by one of the beverage sensorscorresponding to the target wireless mobile device.

What have been described above are examples of the present invention. Itis, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination ofcomponents or methodologies for purposes of describing the presentinvention, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that manyfurther combinations and permutations of the present invention arepossible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace allsuch alterations, modifications and variations that fall within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A game or poll system installed in anestablishment, the system comprising: a plurality of beverage sensorsinstalled in one or more countertops or tabletops of the establishment,each of the plurality of beverage sensors being coupled, wired orwirelessly, to either a respective computer processor or to a centralcomputer processor, the processors or processor being configured toexecute a game or poll having one or more participants.
 2. The system ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one game input by which aparticipant can provide inputs to the game or poll.
 3. The system ofclaim 2, wherein each of the beverage sensors is wirelessly coupled to asmart phone or tablet computer having a touchscreen, and wherein theinputs are provided via the touchscreen.
 4. The system of claim 3,wherein the one or more processors are configured to disable the controlinputs of the participant of the system based on the beverage sensorindicating the absence of a beverage container or the presence of anempty beverage container.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the game isa bar trivia game or pub quiz, and wherein the inputs provided via thetouchscreen are answers to trivia questions.
 6. The system of claim 2,wherein the one or more processors are configured to disable the controlinputs of the participant of the system based on the beverage sensorindicating the absence of a beverage container or the presence of anempty beverage container.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the game isa bar trivia game or pub quiz.
 8. The system of claim 1, configured toselect a winner of a poll or contest based on a number of sips taken ina defined time period or on a total volume or weight of beverageconsumed as measured by the beverage sensors.
 9. A game or poll systemcomprising: a game server configured to transmit game or poll contentto, and receive game or poll information from, a plurality of wirelessmobile devices; a plurality of beverage receptacles each adapted to holda beverage container in an upright orientation; and a plurality ofbeverage sensors each associated with one of the beverage receptacles,each of the beverage sensors to distinguish beverage states and toelectronically communicate distinguished beverage states to the gameserver, wherein game or poll content transmitted by the game server to atarget wireless mobile device of the plurality of wireless mobiledevices is based on a beverage state distinguished by one of thebeverage sensors corresponding to the target wireless mobile device. 10.The system of claim 9, wherein the beverage receptables and beveragesensors are installed in one or more countertops or tabletops of abusiness establishment.
 11. The system of claim 9, configured toadminister a bar trivia game or pub quiz in part by receiving gameresponse inputs from participants via the wireless mobile devices, thegame response inputs corresponding to answers to questions.
 12. Thesystem of claim 9, configured to administer a poll or contest in part byreceiving beverage consumption inputs from participants via the beveragesensors, the game server being configured to select a winner of a pollor contest based on a number of sips taken in a defined time period oron a total volume or weight of beverage consumed as measured by thebeverage sensors.
 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless mobiledevices are participant personal mobile computing devices that arepaired with respective ones of the beverage sensors so as to matchparticipant gameplay inputs, entered through a mobile app or a web appinstalled on or accessed from the participant personal mobile computingdevices, to respective corresponding beverage states as measured by therespective ones of the beverage sensors.
 14. The system of claim 13,wherein each of the participant mobile computing devices is paired to arespective one of the beverage sensors by the respective participantmobile computing device sensing a proximity signal emitted by therespective one of the beverage sensors.
 15. The system of claim 13,wherein each of the participant mobile computing devices is paired to arespective one of the beverage sensors by the respective participantmobile computing device using a camera or other imaging sensor tovisually sense a distinctive marker on or associated with the respectiveone of the beverage sensors.
 16. The system of claim 13, wherein each ofthe participant mobile computing devices is paired to a respective oneof the beverage sensors by a respective participant manually inputting astation ID into a mobile app or web app accessed via the respectiveparticipant mobile computer device.
 17. The system of claim 9, whereineach of the wireless mobile devices is configured to execute a game forindividual play by a respective participant, the system being configuredto deactivate control inputs of the participant to the game based on arespective beverage sensor indicating the absence of a beveragecontainer or the presence of an empty beverage container.
 18. A methodof conducting a poll or administering a game, the method comprising: aserver receiving game or poll information from a plurality of a beveragesensors each configured to measure and report a respective beveragestate; and the server computing a game or poll winner based at least inpart on the reported beverage states.
 19. The method of claim 18,further comprising: the server transmitting poll or game content to aplurality of wireless mobile devices, each of the plurality of wirelessmobile devices being associated with a respective one of the beveragesensors; and the server receiving game or poll information from theplurality of wireless mobile devices, the computed game or poll winnerbeing further based on the received game or poll information.
 20. Themethod of claim 19, further comprising deactivating a control input to atarget one of the wireless mobile devices based on the associatedbeverage sensor indicating the absence of a beverage container or thepresence of an empty beverage container.